Game board for contract or auction bridge



May 1, 1934.

G. O. BLOODGOOD GAME BOARD FOR CONTRACT OR AUCTION BRIDGE Filed Oct. 27, 1935 NUMBER OF TRICKS CONTRACT OR AUCTION P DECLARER AND OPPONENTS SCORE REDUUBLE PLAYED/ PLAYED /0 4 $1??? /6 23 N DEECLARER 5'] 25 W T ZTAKEEIBQIK /6' NOPPONENT 25*? a TRICK 74 TAKEN BY /6' NOPPONEN; 0 /6' MIQO-E S? u 0 c o a U U 7 n -912 U U Q a W4 Q U U o o a U U c O O U U c D O /5 Q a f U U 6 a a U U f a Q GEORGEQBLOODGOOD iatenteol May 1, 1934 GAME BOARD FOR CONTRACT OR AUCTION BRIDGE George 0. Bloodgood, New York, N. Y.

Application October 2'7,

8 Claims.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in game boards, and more particularly to what I term a bridge analyzer, that is, a board to be used when auction or contract bridge is to be played.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a board that is to be laid on the card table top, and as the cards are played they may be placed directly on the board in rows in the order in which they are played, or the cards may be laid down on the table to one side of the board as played and then picked up and put in the spaces that are provided for them.

Another object of the invention is to provide a board that will be of help to beginners or those that are not so familiar with bridge, either contract or auction, because as each card is played it will be placed in played position on the board, and in this way the players may keep glancing at the board to see just What cards have been played.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a board so that each card, as it is played, will be fitted in its order of play on the board, and at the end of the hand each trick of the hand may be carefully studied to determine if each card was properly played.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a board having fifty-two spaces into which the fifty-two cards will be placed as played, or after each trick is played, there being four colurnns and thirteen rows. Each column is designated in its order, that is, for the first card played, the second, the third and the fourth of each trick. Furthermore, on the left-hand side of the margin is provided a cut-out space into which will be placed markers showing whether the declarer or the opponent won the respective tricks, so that after a hand has been played, not only may it be ascertained who won the trick but the time of play of each card may also be ascertainable without relying on the memory, as is now the case where no such board is provided.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a board preferably made of card-board, of such thickness that little lugs may be pressed from the bottom upwardly to provide holding means that, in turn, fit within the cards which are to be notched on their opposite side edges, so that after the cards are once placed on the board there is no danger of their being knocked out of position by the hands of the players.

Still another object of the invention is to have a little revolvable arrow, showing who is the declarer, another arrow to show whether the bid 1933, Serial No. 695,531

has been doubled or redoubled. Also, there will be conveniently placed on the board two disks in superimposed relation to each other, showing the contract and what the trump is to be, provision also being made for a no trump. Thus, before the hand is to be played, the arrows and disks will be turned, so that at the end of the hand it will be readily ascertained what the trump was, who was the declarer, and the number of tricks bid, as well as the final result of the hand. Also,

iere are thirteen other little arrows, the purpose of which will be described as the specification proceeds.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain new and novel arrangements and combination of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims.

Referring now to the drawing showing a preferred embodiment,

Fig. 1 is a top plan View of the board;

Fig. 2 is a perspective of one of the cards;

Fig. 3 is a perspective of one of the markers;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Referring now more particularly to the several views, and for the moment to Fig. 1, there is shown a board 1, preferably card-board, although it may be linen or wood, the board being foldable along the dotted line shown at 2. In actual practice, I have found that a board about thirty inches long is the most desirable, but it will be understood that the same may be of any size desired, as well as of any desired thickness.

The board is preferably substantially rectangular in shape but, as wil be noticed, on the left-hand margin near the top the board is cutaway or notched, as at 3, sothat the first marker 4 to be used may be locked within this notch. These markers 4 are all of the same shape, preferably rectangular, and having a lug portion 5 at their upper edge and a notch 6 at their lower edge, so that all of them may conveniently interlock as they are placed in position.

It will also be noticed that along the left-hand margin of the board, and when I speak of the left-hand margin I speak of the normal margin 7, there are the thirteen small projecting teats or lugs 8 which, in turn, are to be fitted within the notches 9 formed in the one side edge of the markers, so that not only are the markers locked vertically but they are also looked horizontally when placed in position.

It will be understood that there are twentysix of these markers, two sets of thirteen, one set for the declarer and one set for the opponent,

Cir

which are marked in sequence from 1 to 13, and as each trick is won, either by the declarer or opponent, the proper marker will be locked in the margin, as shown in Fig. 1.

On each marker there is a little revolvable arrow 25 with the compass North, South, East, and West printed thereunder, so that after the proper, marker is locked in the margin the little arrow can be turned to show which partner took the trick.

Now referring to the board proper, it will be noticed that there are what I term four columns 10, ll, 12 and 13, the first column receiving the first card played of each trick, and likewise the second column 11 receiving the second, the third column 12 the third and the fourth column 13 the fourth. As has been noted, these columns are divided off into spaces which might be said to be limited or bounded by the lugs 14 and 15, which lugs appear in all the four columns and in the thirteen rows. In other words, there will be fifty-two spaces to receive the fifty-two cards and there will be two lugs for each card.

In Fig. 2, there is shown a playing card 16, which is supposed to represent the ace of diamonds, and it will be noticed that it has two little notches 14' and 15 to respectively fit about the lugs 14 and 15. It will be understood that a deck of notched cards will be furnished with each one of the game boards.

By providing the lugs on the board and by providing the notches on the card, there is no danger of the hands of the player in any way knocking the cards out of their set position.

Now, as may also be seen in Fig. 1, there may be printed the name of the board, as at 1'7, and any other indicia that is desired, such as Contract or Auction, the Declarers and Opponents score, etc. Then, preferably up in the right-hand corner, as shown at 18, I print a little compass, over which is designated Declarer and the position of the players, that is North, South, East and West and also position a small revolvable arrow 19. Below this may be placed a further arrow 20, which will show whether the bid has been doubled or redoubled.

On the left top corner, as at 21, of the board may be the superimposed disks, the larger of the two having printed thereon in segments Last Bid 1, Last Bid 2, etc. up to 7, while the upper disk may have printed thereon the four suits, Clubs, Diamonds, Hearts and Spades, and the words No Trump, as may be seen. Directly below the disks will be the printed arrow 22.

Designating numerals have not been applied to each of the spaces, as it is thought that the ex planation is clear and concise without them.

As hereto-fore mentioned, the cards may either be placed in their respective places as played with their face up, so that a beginner or one not so familiar with bridge may, by glancing at the cards played, partly determine what cards he should play next, or the cards may be played, that is, laid on the table and then after the trick is won laid in their respective positions with their face down. Then, after the game is over, they may be turned right side up in their respective places, and the whole hand analyzed.

Supposing now in actual play of auction bridge, the last bid was three no trumps. The superimposed disks will be turned to the position shown in the upper left-hand corner. Now suppose that South got the bid. The arrow 19 in the right-hand corner would then be placed to the south, as shown. If the bid were redoubled,

the arrow 20 beneath the declarer would also be pointed to Redouble. South having won the declaration, West would have the lead.

Considering that beginners are playing, West will place his card 16 in the first space, face up, in the first row of the first column 10. North plays next and places the card face up in the second column 11. East plays and places it in the space under the third card played, column 12, and finally South places his card in the fourth column 13, all, of course, in the first row.

If, without mentioning the card, we assume that the declarer South won the trick, then the proper marker 4 (of which there are twenty-six) shown at 23, will be fitted in position, showing that the first trick was won by the declarer, and the arrow 25 will be pointed to the south.

In the same manner, the next trick is played, and in this instance I have shown a marker 24 in position, the second trick being won by the opponent, and the arrow 25 on this marker will be swung to designate which of the opponents, East or West, took the trick. Likewise, this procedure will be followed out throughout the entire hand.

Thus, when the entire hand has been played and every card is in its proper order, the play can be carefully analyzed. The declarer can be ascertained by looking up at the compass 18. The trump can be told and the value of the bid by the disk at the left. The markers in front of each trick will tell whether the declarer or the opponent won the trick, and the arrows thereon will esignate which of the respective four players won the respective tricks.

Furthermore, the cards being face up in their proper sequence of play makes it possible to study who won the respective tricks, even though one or two of the arrows might have been faultily turned.

Although not shown, the rules of the game and the value of the honors, etc. might be print ed on the board, if so desired, as at H. It will also be understood that the cards may either be played face up and put directly in their position, or the cards may be played face up before being put in their position on the board, then turned down and placed in position, and finally before the hand is to be analyzed again placed face up.

By providing notched cards and lugs for holding them, there is no danger of the cards being in any way misplaced.

Finally, it will be seen that the board will be of help to beginners and will also be of help to those that desire to carefully study out each trick at the end of the hand. Also, the board may be successfully used for working out bridge problems.

Many slight changes being possible without in any manner departing from the spirit of the invention, I do not limit myself to the specific structure hereinbefore set forth except as hereinafter claimed.

1 claim:

1. In combination, a game board having fiftytwo appropriately designated spaces set off in thirteen rows to receive fifty-two playing cards, lugs on the board on the opposite side edges of said spaces, said cards having notches cut in their side edges to fit said respective lugs, appropriately designated markers having interlocking portions to be attached to one side edge of the board having receiving interlocking portions and respectively opposite the thirteen rows to designate the winner of the respective tricks.

2. In combination, a game board to be used in playing auction or bridge whist having fifty-two appropriately designated spaces set off in four columns of thirteen rows to receive the fifty-two playing cards, lugs on the opposite side edges of said spaces, said cards having notches formed in their side edges to fit said respective lugs, a plurality of markers with printed insignia theron having interlocking portions to be attached to one side edge of the board having corresponding interlocking portions and positioned respectively opposite the thirteen rows to thereby designate the winners of the respective tricks, and the board having thereon insignia and permanently at:- tached movable means in conjunction with the insignia, for designating the declarer, the trump bid and the number of tricks bid.

3. In combination, a game board to be used in the game of contract or auction bridge, said board being cut away on its one edge to receive interlocking markers, fifty-two appropriately designated spaces divided into four columns of thirteen ro-ws, lugs on the opposite side edges of the spaces, said cards having receptive cut-out portions to fit said notches, and the markers having lugs and notches whereby the same may be fastened to each other and also fastened to the board opposite the thirteen rows, the markers having indicia thereon to show the winners of the tricks, and revolvable means positioned on the board together with proper indicia thereon to indicate the trump, the contract, and the declarer.

4. In combination, a game board to be used in the playing of contract or auction bridge, the board having fifty-two appropriately designated spaces of four columns and thirteen rows thereon, lugs positioned on opposite sides of said spaces, playing cards having their edges notched to fit said lugs, interlocking markers with indicia printed thereon, said markers to be attached to the board opposite each of the thirteen rows, certain of the markers being for the declarers and certain of the markers being for the opponents, each marker having printed thereon means for designating which of the declarers or which of the opponents won the trick, and further means secured to the board for indicating the declarer, the trump, and the value of the contract.

5. In combination, a game board to be used in playing contract or auction bridge, said board being substantially rectangular in shape and having an outwardly projecting top portion, the lower edge of said top portion provided with a cutout, the board having fifty-two appropriately designated spaces thereon, each of said spaces having associated therewith upstanding lugs, notched cards adapted to fit within the spaces and contact said lugs, a plurality of markers having lugs and notches formed therein whereby the same may interlock with each other and the topmost marker may also interlock with the notch in the lower edge of the upper top portion of the board, and revolvable means on the markers for showing the winner of each respective trick.

6. A game board for contract or auction bridge in combination with notched playing cards, said board provided with appropriately designated spaces having lugs to receive the playing cards, markers having projections and recesses adapted to interlock with cooperating parts of the board and with each other to show which partners won the respective tricks, and attached revolvable means on the markers together with appropriate indicia associated therewith to show which of the respective partners won the respective tricks.

'7. In combination, a game board to be used when playing contract or auction bridge, indicia and permanently attached movable means on the board for indicating the contract and the declarer, removable means comprising markers having portions adapted to lock with each other and to also look with cooperative interlocking portions on the side edge of the board, said markers designating the partners winning the respective tricks, and further revolvable means together with proper indicia on said markers for indicating which of the partners won the trick.

8. In combination, a game board to be used in the playing of contract or auction bridge together with playing cards, holding means on the board for interlocking with said cards when the cards are placed in position, means with proper indicia thereon to be interlocked with the board opposite certain of the cards when the cards are in position to indicate whether the declarer or opponent won the respective tricks, revolvabl means together with proper indicia on said aforementioned means ior indicating which of the winning partners won the specific tricks, and further means secured to the board together with proper indicia for indicating the declarer, the trump bid and the value of the contract.

GEORGE O. BLOODGOOD. 

